Do Something Great. Pray.

I know this is a late in the day post. And to be honest, I just haven't had a peace regarding it... a sense of direction. From yesterday, throughout this morning...even at this moment. I think I know what's coming, but I don't. So hang on... how this ends is just as much your guess as mine.

All I know, is that today's events on a national level were interesting. Ideas and opinions, arguments on both sides of the issue regarding what is going on in our culture and society and how it is impacting our youth and our schools. And long before we were faced with such challenges, we've been changing how we educate our kids, what's allowed and not allowed in our schools to say nothing of our approach to parenting. Of course, all of this has come to a head, to the point that it affects how we respond to ministry, to the Judeo-Christian perspective and most importantly, to the Word of God.

I'm certainly not going to sit in judgement, nor high moral ground, nor clueless and apathetic sideline. I don't know, nor do I pretend to know all.

At best, I'm inadequate... on many fronts.

That said, certain things remain very clear.

The truth is difficult to hear.
We are all candidates to be better people.
Knowledge is only power to those wise in handling it; otherwise it is destructive.
History repeats itself... and often, to those who ignore it's lessons.
Evil exists and it does have an agenda. A spiritual one at its core and a master of disguise on its' surface.

I know you're older than me, but that shouldn't diminish the fact that there are a collection of years between me and today's youth, the years having reached "decade" status, so as I reflect, I can say this.

I don't know which of today's youth I would be. All the events of my educational years being the same, I don't know which kid I would be as I look at today's generation. But I know this...

I wouldn't be where I am without a stable, 2-parent, single-marriage home... without Christian parents who told me that God loved me and had a plan for my life. The same parents, who along with my brother, told me they would always love me. I wouldn't be here without pastors and youth pastors who spoke into my life. Nor do I know what this conversation looks like without the help of teachers who helped me deal with the bullies.

So, whatever your response to today's generation and societies struggle, I can tell you this.

On a very simple, #youthPastorWednesday, this world DOES need our prayer. For obvious reasons, and you can add your specifics, we need to pray for our youth pastors. We need to pray for our teachers and school administrators. We need to pray for our kids, all of them... from those who are the bully, to those who are the victim, from the most popular, to the most ignored, the best-dressed and least attractive, from the most likely to succeed to the goofiest runner... to the punk that whips oranges across the room aiming at a kid's head. Even you. I pray for you.
Pray kids would be friends on purpose, rather than jerks on purpose.

Speak life. Speak truth.
They are both found in the person of Jesus Christ.
He is found on the Word of God, aka. The Bible.
May God change lives, first and foremost.

- PNC

#thatwaseasy
#endtheguess
#pray4pastors